FNS Documents & Resources

FNS is extending a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19). This extension of Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the child nutrition programs, issued March 25, 2020, applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program. This waiver remains in effect until June 30, 2020.

FNS is extending a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus. This extension  applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program.

Pursuant to section 2202(a) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and in light of the exceptional circumstances of this public health emergency, FNS is granting a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19). 

This memorandum explains the grain requirements for the CACFP established in the final rule, “Child and Adult Care Food Program: Meal Pattern Revisions Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.” This revision further clarifies how to determine if a grain product meets the whole grain-rich criteria. 

On June 30, FNS published memorandum CACFP 17-2017, Documenting Meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which provides guidance on how meals served in the CACFP must be documented to demonstrate compliance with the meal pattern requirements.

This memorandum provides questions and answers on the meal pattern requirements for the Child and Adult Care Food Program.  FNS collected and answered a variety of questions since the updated meal patterns were published in April 2016.

This memorandum outlines the use of offer versus serve in the adult day care and at-risk afterschool settings in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the use of family style meals in the CACFP.

This memorandum explains the vegetable and fruit requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and includes Questions and Answers.

This final rule updates the meal pattern requirements for the Child and Adult Care Food Program to better align them with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

Offer versus Serve is a provision in the NSLP and School Breakfast Program that allows students to decline some of the food offered. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste in the school meals programs while permitting students to decline foods they do not intend to eat.